China Africa Photo: VCG

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has elevated China-Africa development to new heights, and the 2024 summit, amid global anti-globalization trends, political instability, and retreating democracies, will further foster deeper cooperation as well as collaborative development among China, African countries and the Global South, Dennis Munene Mwaniki, executive director of the China-Africa Center at the Africa Policy Institute, told the Global Times. 

Mwaniki has high expectations for the upcoming summit. He said that it will enhance cooperation on agricultural technologies, advance the "green silk road" to support Africa in leveraging its rich green-energy resources to combat climate change, improve its health system through the "health silk road," and expand its global market access via the "digital silk road."

Mwaniki said that China and Africa have committed to adopting practical measures for knowledge sharing, prioritizing development, and exploring people-centered paths based on mutual respect and learning. They aim to build a fair and multipolar world to foster common development, support inclusive economic globalization, and reform the international financial system to address development gaps. 

By aligning with international initiatives and national plans, they seek to strengthen high-quality and sustainable development, activate domestic growth through effective markets and proactive governance, and address both traditional and non-traditional security threats to create a secure development environment, Mwaniki noted. 

In addition to cooperation on socioeconomic development, China and African countries will also work together with other Global South nations to address major global issues and challenges at the upcoming summit. Mwaniki said that China, African countries, and other nations in the Global South are united by a shared history of ancient connections and mutual struggles against imperialism, along with common goals for freedom and development.

By collaborating, Global South countries can strengthen ties, support each other's diverse development paths, and ensure that all their citizens experience true modernization aligned with their unique aspirations, Mwaniki said.